True, I like Bruce as a person, I do. And he does some great things as a coach, but I just feel he's going to be limited in those things once the 'AA hammer comes down. Plus as a former and still current basketball playing junkie I've always been more partial to the more low-key/in-game coaches.

It's probably personal bias because of my ties to him, but I'd love to see Rick Byrd get the gig. He deserves a bigger platform after what he's done at Belmont.

On the offensive depth chart, Tyler Bray is the likely starter after finishing off last season. He has the physical makeup to become a great QB. 6'6 with a gun, but he needs to cut down on the mental mistakes. He has the "**** it, I'm going deep!" attitude. But then again, if I had Justin Hunter galloping downfield, I'd do that too. Sometimes, he makes a throw that makes your mouth drop. Sometimes, he throws straight to the MIKE LB to lose the game. But he was just a true freshman, so the fact he didn't pull a Compton is very promising.

I think Justin Hunter is our most talented player on offense, maybe the whole team. A track and field star, the guy can outrun and outleap nearly anybody. He's pretty similar to Sidney Rice. Da'Rick Rodgers, a higher rated player coming in, will probably start opposite him. No idea who starts at TE.

At RB, there's Tauren Poole, a poor man's Montario Hardesty. Then there's Raijon Neal and a bunch of freshmen...yaaaaay.

OL looks a whole lot better, but they're still young. OC James Stone was Freshman All-American, and true freshman OT JaWuan James looks like the future at LT, after manning RT so early. JerQuari Schofield handled OG pretty well. I forget who the other guard is. And an upper classman (well, compared to the rest) played a lot too, I think LT for a good bit since he was really the only one who could. Dallas Thomas I believe it was. Someone else played the other OG too, but I forget.

Voodoo or Doughie can do defense, or specify some on offense. Or I can do it tonight. Gotta go to work now.

As far as defense goes I'm taking a wait and see approach. I think the starting defensive line will be more talented and productive than last year's. We still have some depth issues though, especially at end.

The starting defensive line will most likely consist of sophomores Jacques Smith and Marlon Walls at end and sophomore Maurice Couch and senior Malik Jackson at tackle. Primary backups will include Corey Miller and Daniel Hood.

Linebacker looks to be the major question mark at this point. Our best linebacker Herman Lathers recently broke his leg and is out for the season. (Of course)
Austin Johnson, Greg King and Daryl Vereen are possibly the opening day starters. Two seniors and a junior in that group. Sophomore John Propst could also get a look. He's purely an inside backer so if he starts Austin Johnson would slide outside.
UT brought in three really good LBs this recruiting class even with Lamar Dawson dipping on us (un bastardo). Christian Harris and his more heralded classmates A.J. Johnson and Curt Maggitt all could see great playing time with one or two of them possibly being starters by the end of the year.

The secondary should be the strength of the defense. We return basically 5 guys with starting experience with Prentiss Waggner, Brent Brewer, Janzen Jackson, Marsalis Teague and Eric Gordon. Also we're throwing a couple of talented JUCOs in the mix with corners Izauea Lanier and Byron Moore. Then we're bringing in three very talented freshman in corner Justin Coleman (an EE), and safeties Brian Randolph and Pat Martin.

We're also still waiting to see if highly touted safety Eddrick Loften and freshman corner Tino Thomas make it in but they'd be a luxury at this point.

Special teams will hopefully be improved this year as well. UT had all kinds of problems with kick returns last year, especially at punt returning. For this the coaches signed return specialist Devrin Young. He's tiny but super quick and fast and hopefully he'll be our version of Brandon James.

Also, highly recruited Michael Palardy should take over kicking duties from the much maligned Daniel Lincoln and number one punting recruit from 2010 Matt Darr should be solid at punter.

Hahahahahahaha! That's insane! Darin Gooch got some time too, and I think James Stone played LG for Schofield when JQ got hurt. It was Gooch at C, Stone at LG, and when JQ got healthy, they moved Stone to C. I hope they keep him there too. Posters at VN say OG is his natural position, but I think OC is the second most important OL position and I want a stud there.

I've heard great things about Marcus Jackson, and getting Bullard and his experience will make him great depth. I think Antonio Richardson could definitely play RG too. Plus, there's Mack Crowder but he looks like a natural OC.

Then the primary backups will be Antonio Richardson at tackle, Alex Bullard at center and Marcus Jackson at OG. Bullard could basically back-up every position except maybe LT.

Let's hope to God Gooch doesn't see the light of the lineup ever again. He's awful. I'm hoping he'll be one of the guys capped to make room for a bigger signing class for 2012. I know that sounds bad, but oh well.

Also, Jarrod Shaw got some time at guard last season. Especially at the start of the season and during the injuries. He was pretty bad as well.

The guy could stop Oregon in back-to-back seasons with the meager talent at Boise St., yet he's getting the best talent he's ever had and is being trampled in the SEC. Say what you want about the lack of talent at Tennessee compared to the rest of the SEC, but this is why Wilcox was seen as such a great hire. He got the most out of the least.

Harry Hiestand absolutely should be gone at season's end. He doesn't have a single commitment to his name in this class, and the OL is a mess. I can stomach Wilcox being given one more year with a year with more experience to prove he's a SEC DC, but not Hiestand. We shoulda seen this coming when we hired the OL Coach from the Bears.

I'm down with Hiestand being gone. And one or two more coaches possibly... I just hope we beat Vandy (Sad, I know) so we can get those bowl practices. This young team really needs that extra work.
Also, I hope we close this recruiting class strong. We could still use a couple of more JUCOs and a playmaking running back.

I'd probably keep Wilcox at least one more year. If only because I think canning him would also lead to Sirmon leaving. And Sirmon is probably our best recruiter and I've actually been super impressed by the play of our linebackers this year all things considered.

Thompson and Baggett can definitely stay. And Dooley better win 8 games at a minimum next year.